Minimum requirements
To be eligible, you must meet all the minimum requirements for:
- skilled work experience
- language ability
- education
If you meet all the minimum requirements, we’ll assess your application based on additional selection factors.
Skilled work experience
Skilled work experience means that you’ve worked in 1 of these National Occupational Classification (NOC) TEER categories:
- TEER 0
- TEER 1
- TEER 2
- TEER 3
You must show that while working in your primary occupation, you performed:
- the actions in the lead statement of the occupational description in the NOC
- most of the main duties listed
Your “primary occupation” means the job you:
- have experience in
- want to base your immigration application on, if you’re invited to apply
Your primary occupation may not be your most recent work experience. If you don’t have the minimum work experience in the primary NOC you choose, you won’t be found eligible.
Your skilled work experience must
- be in the same type of job (have the same NOC) as your primary occupation
- have been obtained within the last 10 years, in Canada or abroad
- be paid work (you must have been paid wages or earned commission—volunteer work or unpaid internships don’t count)
- be at least 1 year of continuous work or 1,560 hours total (30 hours per week)
- You can meet this in a few different ways:
- full time at 1 job: 30 hours/week for 12 months = 1 year full time (1,560 hours)
- equal amount in part-time work: for example 15 hours/week for 24 months = 1 year full time (1,560 hours)
- You can work as many part-time jobs as you need to meet this requirement.
- full time at more than 1 job: 30 hours/week for 12 months at more than 1 job = 1 year full time (1,560 hours)
- You can meet this in a few different ways:
Part-time work experience
Your skilled work experience must be paid work including paid wages or earned commission. We don’t count volunteer work or unpaid internships.
For part-time work, you can work more or less than 15 hours/week as long as it adds up to 1,560 hours. You can work more than 1 part-time job to get the hours you need to apply.
We don’t count any hours you work above 30hours/week.
Student work experience
Work experience gained while you were studying may count towards your minimum requirements if the work:
- was paid by wages or commissions
- was continuous (no gaps in employment), and
- meets all the other requirements of the Program
Language ability
You must
- take approved language tests in English or French for
- writing
- reading
- listening
- speaking
- meet the minimum score required in all 4abilities
- enter the test results in your Express Entry profile
Your language tests are valid for 2 years after the date of the test result. They must be valid on the day you apply for permanent residence.
Education
If you went to school in Canada, you must have a certificate, diploma or degree from a Canadian
- secondary institution (high school) or
- post-secondary institution
If you have foreign education, you must have
- a completed educational credential and
- an Educational Credential Assessment for immigration purposes that
- is from a designated organization and
- shows your education is equal to a completed certificate, diploma or degree from a Canadian secondary institution (high school) or post-secondary institution
Selection factors
If you meet all the minimum requirements, we’ll assess your eligibility for the Federal Skilled Worker Program based on:
- age
- education
- work experience
- whether you have a valid job offer
- English or French language skills
- adaptability (how well you’re likely to settle here)
Based on how well you do in each of the 6 factors, we’ll assign you an overall score out of 100.
The current pass mark is 67points.
- Review how the selection factor points are calculated for federal skilled workers
These points are different from the points we use to rank your profile in the Express Entry pool.
How we use selection factor points
We use selection factor points to assess if you’re eligible for the Federal Skilled Worker Program.
Once you’re in the Express Entry pool, we use a different system to rank your profile. We select the highest-ranking candidates from the pool and invite them to apply for permanent residence.
Proof of funds
You must show that you have enough money for you and your family to settle in Canada, unless you
- are currently able to legally work in Canada
- have a valid job offer from an employer in Canada
Admissibility
You must be admissible to Canada.
Where you can live in Canada
You must plan to live outside the province of Quebec. The province of Quebec selects its own skilled workers. If you plan on living in Quebec, see Quebec-selected skilled workers for more information.
When you fill out your profile, we’ll ask you where you plan to live in Canada. You don’t have to settle in that province or territory.
If you’re a Provincial Nominee, you must settle in the province or territory that nominated you.
Next steps
- get your documents ready
- submit your profile
